Through this interactive course we will turn the way we look at objects upside down and in the process discover that negative painting is far from negative! We will learn to reveal our subject by painting the space and air around it rather than by painting the object itself.

 

Negative painting is especially powerful in watercolour, as we will struggle to paint white or pale objects on a white paper. By painting the air around the object, we can capture its light and form.

 

With step by step guidance, we will first explore what negative painting is and why it is so important. We will move onto guidelines for successful negative painting, before pulling all our learning together in a study of autumn leaves. A pdf of notes and examples is included to act as a reminder of the course content.

If you have enjoyed this course and share the work you've done on it, please make sure to tag me on social media (@lizchaderton on Instagram and /lizchadertonartist on Facebook) so I can get to see it too! It would be great if you could say that it is from this course, as that helps spread the word.

If you are not a member already, why not join Watercolour Studio over on Facebook? https://www.facebook.com/groups/694706731930461 And finally, you should not exhibit or display pieces completed on this course without my written permission, to comply with copyright law. I really look forward to seeing what you do. 

In this first section we will explore a few dos and don'ts, including how to avoid getting a halo around your subject, how to avoid ugly hard edges and making colour transitions logical.

To start our painting we will do a loose and lively underpainting. Remembering that watercolour dries lighter by 15-20% our underpainting will not be too insipid, but neither too strong as we still need to achieve tonal contrast.

Having thoroughly dried the underpainting, it is time to map out the closest layer of leaves by painting the space around them. We will be like a sculptor carving away.

Having dried the first layer thoroughly, we will start to tuck a second layer of leaves behind. Some parts will be hidden, but again by painting the space around this layer we will start to achieve a feeling of depth.

Again, after a thorough dry, we will tuck in more layers, adjusting the tone and design as we go.

Time to finish up and assess our progress. Always critique your work (not criticise). What do you like? Do more of this. What didn't work so well? Do less next time.